AHS 20-Hour Breastfeeding Course

AHS 20-Hour Breastfeeding Course is organized by University of Calgary Office of Continuing Medical Education and Professional Development (CME & PD).

Description:
Alberta’s go-to online 20-hour breastfeeding course for healthcare professionals. This free CME-accredited course provides flexible, accredited learning to enhance your breastfeeding knowledge and support skills. The self-paced online modules have been developed for all health care providers working with expectant and breastfeeding families across the continuum of care.

Modules:
Positive Breastfeeding Support
Learning Objectives
After completing this module, you will be equipped to:

• Recognize the importance and impact of positive breastfeeding support
• Reflect on breastfeeding parent perspectives of breastfeeding support
• Reflect on approaches to practice that are critical to promoting a positive breastfeeding experience
• Apply the LEARN model to promote a positive breastfeeding experience

Informed Feeding Decisions
Learning Objectives
After completing this module, you will be equipped to:

• Define an IFD approach
• Identify when an IFD approach can be used
• Identify and define the principles of an IFD
• Recognize how the principles of an IFD can contribute to positive outcomes for families
• Apply principles and actions to support IFDs

Including Partners & Supporters
Learning Objectives
After completing this module, you will be equipped to:

• Recognize the influence and perspectives of partners and supporters on breastfeeding
• Recognize the different ways partners and supporters can be responsive to the breastfeeding parent’s needs
• Apply strategies that facilitate partner and supporter involvement in breastfeeding
• Apply the LEARN model to facilitate partner and supporter involvement in breastfeeding

Introduction to Breastmilk and Breastfeeding
Learning Objectives
After completing this module, you will be equipped to:

• The anatomy and functions of the lactating breast
• The physiology of lactation and how breastmilk is produced
• The anatomy and functions of infant oral structures
• The components and stages of breastmilk
• What micronutrient supplementation is needed for healthy term infants
• The nutritional needs of the breastfeeding parent
• The strengths and weaknesses of breastfeeding evidence
• The health benefits of breastfeeding for women and infants/children
• Considerations for safe breastfeeding
• Resources that support informed feeding decisions for safe breastfeeding
• When breastfeeding may be contraindicated and appropriate follow-up care

Breastfeeding Support Skills & Assessment
Learning Objectives
After completing this module, you will be equipped to: 

• Recognize inborn feeding instincts that support the breastfeeding relationship and cue-based feeding.
• Identify approaches to breastfeeding support and indicate why certain approaches are beneficial for the breastfeeding relationship.
• Identify the benefits of skin-to-skin care for the breastfeeding family.
• Identify why it is useful for the breastfeeding parent to learn hand expression.
• Identify how different breastfeeding positions may be helpful for the breastfeeding dyad.
• Recognize the principles of an effective and comfortable latch.
• Recognize the signs of effective and ineffective milk transfer.
• Identify considerations and components of a breastfeeding assessment.
• Recognize how room sharing facilitates cue-based feeding.
• Identify the impact of breastfeeding on sleep and strategies to improve sleep for the breastfeeding dyad.
• Recognize how breastfeeding impacts the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.  

Variations & Challenges for the Breastfeeding Parent
Learning Objectives
After completing this module, you will be equipped to: 

• Recognize why breastfeeding-related pain and discomfort occurs.
• Recognize the impact of breastfeeding-related pain on the breastfeeding dyad.
• Identify appropriate management strategies and interventions to support parents who experience breastfeeding-related pain and discomfort.
• Recognize how breastfeeding may be impacted by nipple variations.
• Identify appropriate management strategies and interventions to support parents with nipple variations.
• Identify considerations for the use of nipple shields and recommendations for proper fit.
• Recognize different breast variations and how breastfeeding might be impacted.
• Identify appropriate management strategies and interventions to support parents with breast variations.
• Recognize why different milk supply challenges occur and how they impact breastfeeding.
• Identify appropriate prevention and management strategies to support parents experiencing milk supply challenges.

Learning Objectives (cont.)

• Recognize why hyperlactation and forceful milk ejection reflex occur and how these conditions impact breastfeeding.
• Identify appropriate prevention and management strategies to support breastfeeding dyads experiencing hyperlactation and forceful milk ejection reflex.
• Recognize the impact of birth complications and interventions on the breastfeeding parent.
• Recognize the impact of physical conditions on the breastfeeding parent.
• Recognize the impact of mental health concerns on the breastfeeding parent.
• Identify appropriate strategies to support breastfeeding parents with various health circumstances.
• Recognize why postpartum engorgement occurs and how it impacts breastfeeding.
• Identify appropriate prevention and management strategies to support parents experiencing postpartum engorgement.
• Describe reverse pressure softening and manual lymphatic drainage techniques.
• Recognize why ductal narrowing occurs and how it impacts breastfeeding.

Variations & Challenges for the Breastfeeding Infant
Learning Objectives
After completing this module, you will be equipped to:

• Be aware of AHS resources to support infant growth monitoring.
• Recognize suboptimal growth and identify breastfeeding strategies to address it.
• Recognize common infant feeding behaviours that may affect breastfeeding success and the different factors that can influence infant behaviour.
• Identify appropriate strategies to support parents when infant behaviours affect breastfeeding.
• Recognize common health concerns for healthy term infants and how breastfeeding may be impacted.
• Identify appropriate breastfeeding strategies to prevent and support management of common health concerns for breastfed infants.
• Recognize anatomical variations in infants and how breastfeeding might be impacted.
• Identify appropriate management strategies and interventions to support breastfeeding in infants with anatomical variations.
• Recognize how birth complications and temporary illness may affect breastfeeding.
• Identify appropriate strategies to support breastfeeding dyads experiencing birth complications and temporary illness.
• Identify key considerations for breastfeeding multiples.

Breastmilk Expression & Supplementary Feeding
Learning Objectives
After completing this module, you will be equipped to:

• Identify considerations and varied reasons for breastmilk expression.
• Identify appropriate strategies to support parents to achieve optimal breastmilk expression.
• Identify and accurately apply the breastfeeding terms and definitions used for data collection in Alberta.
• Identify indications for supplementary feeds.
• Identify how to assist parents as they navigate understanding the health benefits, contextual factors, safety issues, or health risks for different supplementary feeding options.
• Identify considerations to create supportive and achievable feeding plans.
• Recognize how to safely prepare and store supplements.
• Identify considerations for alternative oral feeding methods.
• Identify where to find information for proper cleaning and sanitization of feeding equipment.

Community & System Supports for Breastfeeding (NEW)
Learning Objectives
After completing this module, you will be equipped to: 

• Identify considerations for supporting breastfeeding parents when they introduce complementary foods.
• Identify considerations for responsive feeding when introducing complementary foods.??
• Be aware of AHS resources to support complementary feeding.??
• Identify considerations to support breastfeeding parents when they return to work or school.
• Identify considerations to support parents who decide to continue breastfeeding during pregnancy.
• Identify considerations to support parents who decide to breastfeed multiple children of different ages.
• Recognize considerations to support parents who decide to breastfeed beyond what may be culturally expected.
• Identify considerations for supporting individuals who decide to suppress lactation soon after giving birth.
• Identify considerations for supporting parents when they decide to wean from breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding Transitions (NEW)
Learning Objectives
After completing this module, you will be equipped to: 

• Identify considerations for supporting breastfeeding parents when they introduce complementary foods.
• Identify considerations for responsive feeding when introducing complementary foods.
• Be aware of AHS resources to support complementary feeding.??
• Identify considerations to support breastfeeding parents when they return to work or school.
• Identify considerations to support parents who decide to continue breastfeeding during pregnancy.
• Identify considerations to support parents who decide to breastfeed multiple children of different ages.
• Recognize considerations to support parents who decide to breastfeed beyond what may be culturally expected.
• Identify considerations for supporting individuals who decide to suppress lactation soon after giving birth.
• Identify considerations for supporting parents when they decide to wean from breastfeeding.